RU2728451C1 - Aircraft takeoff and landing aircraft safety system - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: aviation.SUBSTANCE: aircraft vertical elevation and landing safety system comprises an altitude sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, electronic stroke controllers (ESC), electric motors of rotors, an on-board flight computer configured to process information from altitude-velocity parameters sensors and its comparison with predetermined threshold permissible values, formation of control signals of electric motors of rotors in a certain manner and attenuation of signals in case of transition of threshold values.EFFECT: limitation of pitch, roll and yaw angles, horizontal speed during takeoff and landing, higher flight stability, increased safety of pilot and surrounding objects.1 cl, 1 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of aviation, namely to vertical take-off and landing aircraft (AC), for example, multicopters and quadcopters carrying the pilot on board.

A semi-automatic system is known from the prior art to prevent the pitch angle of an aircraft from going beyond the operational range (see patent RU 2490168 for invention, publ. 08/20/2013).

The essence of the invention lies in the fact that the value of the signal controlling the elevator drive and coming from the control stick through the fly-by-wire control system (EDSU) is compared in the selector with the signals that are formed in the autopilot of the subsystem and stabilization of the pitch angle. If the signal from the EDSU becomes greater than the value that the subsystem generates to stabilize the maximum allowable pitch angle, control is transferred to this autopilot subsystem. A similar, in fact, action occurs if the signal from the EDSU becomes less than the value that is formed by the subsystem to stabilize the minimum allowable pitch angle. In this case, the selector output is connected to the autopilot subsystem.

The system known from the prior art has a different application - it is intended for use in aircraft and has aircraft control principles in comparison with the claimed system. This system cannot be used in multirotor aircraft.

An aircraft control system is known from the prior art (see patent RU 2537883 for invention, publ. 10.01.2015).

The aircraft control system contains computing means, an engine control means that controls engine operation based on a thrust control signal, a control surface movement means that moves control surfaces based on a control surface deflection angle control signal, and a control surface failure / damage detection means capable of detecting a malfunction at least one of the control surfaces. In the event of a failure of at least one of the control surfaces, the computing means calculates the thrust control signal and the control signal for the control surface deflection angle. In the second version, the aircraft control system, in addition to the means described above, contains a speed control filter that regulates the speed of the engine response and the speed of the control surfaces. EFFECT: ensuring stability of flight of an aircraft.

The system known from the prior art also has a different application - it is intended for use in aircraft and has aircraft control principles in comparison with the claimed system.

The systems known from the prior art cannot be used at low altitudes, they involve other means of aerodynamic control: elevators, rudders, in contrast to the claimed system, in which control is carried out only by engines having a different arrangement (vertical).

The technical results of the claimed invention are:

- limiting the angles of pitch, roll and yaw, as well as the horizontal speed during takeoff and landing by changing the rotational speed of the electric motors;

- increasing the accuracy of aircraft positioning;

- increasing flight stability;

- increasing the safety of the pilot, surrounding people and objects.

Technical results are achieved by the fact that the safety system of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft includes:

- height sensor, accelerometer and gyroscope;

- onboard flight computer;

- electronic speed controllers (ESC);

- rotor motors;

while the on-board flight computer is configured to:

- processing information and data from an altitude sensor, accelerometer and gyroscope and comparing them with predetermined threshold values;

- limitation of the PWM duty cycle and attenuation of control signals coming from the joysticks if the altitude is below the threshold allowable value, and the readings from the accelerometer and gyroscope exceed the specified allowable maximum angles of roll, pitch, yaw rate and horizontal speed;

- generating signals to control the rotor motors and propeller revolutions through electronic controllers (ESC), providing a uniform redistribution or increase of thrust to the rotor motors, increasing their speed to carry out the necessary displacement and maneuver;

- speed control of each individual independent rotor;

- ensuring the synchronous operation of the rotor motors.

The features and essence of the claimed invention are explained in the following detailed description, illustrated by the drawing (see Fig. 1), which shows an example of the implementation of the security system of aircraft vertical takeoff and landing

Figure 1 indicates the following:

1 - height sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope;

2 - onboard flight computer;

3 - electronic speed controllers (ESC);

4 - electric motors;

5 - joysticks.

The on-board flight computer (2) (see Fig. 1) reads the readings from the altitude sensor (2). When the multicopter is below a certain allowable threshold altitude, the takeoff and landing assistance mode is activated. In this mode, the on-board flight computer (2) continuously checks the readings from the accelerometer (2) and gyroscope (2), and if they exceed the specified maximum angles of roll, pitch, yaw rate and horizontal speed, then the on-board flight computer (2) by PWM duty cycle limiting compensates for the impact. In turn, the control signals from the joysticks (5) are attenuated so that the maximum position of the stick is equal to the maximum angle or speed of deflection during landing. Thus, the positioning accuracy of the aircraft is increased. Above a certain acceptable threshold altitude, assist mode is disabled and the multicopter is operated normally.

One of the advantages of this system is that it excludes overturning of the aircraft (multicopter), collision of the propeller blades with the surface on which the aircraft (multicopter) lands and, therefore, ensures the safety of not only the pilot, but also the surrounding people and objects.

The analysis of the state of the art made it possible to establish that there are no analogues with a set of essential features identical and identical to the essential features of the claimed system, which indicates that the claimed system meets the "novelty" condition of patentability.

The results of the search for known solutions in order to identify essential features that coincide with the essential features of the claimed system that are distinguishable from analogues have shown that they do not follow explicitly from the prior art, and the influence of distinctive essential features on the technical results indicated by the author has not been established. Therefore, the claimed invention meets the "inventive step" requirement of patentability.

At the moment, a prototype has been made and tests of an aircraft - a multicopter have been successfully carried out.

Claims (11)

Security system for vertical take-off and landing aircraft, including: - height sensor, accelerometer and gyroscope; - onboard flight computer; - electronic speed controllers (ESC); - rotor motors; while the on-board flight computer is configured to: - processing information and data from an altitude sensor, accelerometer and gyroscope and comparing them with predetermined threshold values; - limitation of the PWM duty cycle and attenuation of control signals coming from the joysticks if the altitude is below the threshold allowable value, and the readings from the accelerometer and gyroscope exceed the specified allowable maximum angles of roll, pitch, yaw rate and horizontal speed; - generating signals to control the rotor motors and propeller revolutions through electronic controllers (ESC), providing a uniform redistribution or increase of thrust to the rotor motors, increasing their speed to carry out the necessary displacement and maneuver; - speed control of each individual independent rotor; - ensuring the synchronous operation of the rotor motors.

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